More students at colleges and sixth forms in Wales can apply for the Education Maintenance Allowance when the household income threshold is raised later this year.
The weekly grant of £40 supports 16-18 year-old from eligible houses with education costs such as transport and meals. The Welsh Government will raise the household income thresholds in September for the first time since 2010.
The threshold for households with one dependent child is now £23,400. The threshold for households with two or more child dependents is now £25,974.
Deio Owen, President of NUS Cymru, said: “NUS Cymru welcomes the Minister’s announcement today. Raising the household income threshold for EMA will enable more than 3,500 young people to engage with post-16 learning. That’s 3,500 young people that we will now hopefully see continue with their education and continue to equip themselves for a better future.
“We have been campaigning for this for quite some time, and we are delighted that the Welsh Government have finally listened to student voices. I look forward to working ever closer with the Minister in the coming months on areas where we can further strengthen the student offer in Wales.”
The weekly grant of £40 supports 16-18-year-olds from eligible houses with education costs such as transport and meals.
EMA in Northern Ireland and Scotland is £30 a week. EMA is not paid in England.
The Welsh Government estimated that 3,500 new students will recieve EMA from the new academic year in September, bringing the total across Wales to around 19,500.